2 Peter 2
1But
there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring
in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way
of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3And through
covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their
damnation slumbereth not.
4For if God spared
not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
5And spared not the old world, but saved Noah
the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
6And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them
with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
7And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
8(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed
his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
9The
Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
10But chiefly them that walk after the flesh
in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of
dignities.
11Whereas angels, which are greater
in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
12But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that
they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
13And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day
time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
14Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling
unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
15Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor,
who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16But
was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
17These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest;
to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
18For
when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those
that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
19While
they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he
brought in bondage.
20For if after they have
escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein,
and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have
known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again;
and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.